Commissioners Can Comment on Finances
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THE Minister of Transport 'this week I refused to give a general direction to Traffic Commissioners that when giving a decision about applications by county boroughs for increases in bus fares they should refrain from references to the financial policy of the authority. The suggestion was put forward in the Commons by Mr. Gordon Bagier (Lab., Sunderland South) and in a written answer the Minister gave a Simple "No ". In another question, Mr. Bagier said that the policy of Sunderland Corporation was to provide cheap public transport in order to encourage the full use of transport facilities and to discourage the excessive use of private means of transport in the town, This policy was recommended in the Buchanan report, said Mr. Bagier, and he asked to what extent the Government had adopted it. Mr. Fraser told him that the fares charged on municipal transport were determined by the local authority concerned, subject to the statutory approval of the Traffic Commissioners.
"I do not intervene in these matters except on a formal appeal," Mr. Fraser added.
The decision to relieve stage carriage bus services of the additional fuel tax was evidence of the policy of the Government to encourage the public transport services, said the Minister.
Rural Answers Soon THE Minister of Transport said this week that he expects to receive within the next month the results of all his experiments to find remedies for the problems of rural transport.
Efficient Ulster Plan
A NEW £100,000 freight depot in the 1-1. Londonderry area is envisaged by Northern Ireland Carriers Ltd. Mr. George Cameron, chairman of NIC, said last week: ," We are charged with operating strictly on a commercial basis. The Minister of Development is more concerned that Northern Ireland should have efficient and economical transport, and who provides this transport he does not really care."
Lower Tolls ?
THE Scottish Secretary was asked this week to arrange for preferential low toil charges for daily users of the Forth Road Bridge. But he pointed out to his questioner, Mr. William Hamilton (Lab., West Fife), that such a proposal would require to be considered by the Forth Road Bridge Joint Board.